Spindle-bearing



(No Model.)

J. KILBURN.

SPINDLE BEARING.

Patented Sept. 21,1897.

, H 20 J I //fl Jaw J 1 H W w 5 v 2 i .G my NMWfl m WMQ UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KILBURN, OF BELMONT, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPlNDLE-BEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,317, datedSeptember 21, 1897. Application filed December 2, 1896. Serial No.614,253. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN KILBURN, a ea zen of the United States,residing at Belmont, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpindle-Bearings and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The present invention relates to spindles of the type known asself-centering or top spindles, in which the rotating spindle is adaptedto seek its true center of rotation under an unbalanced load. Thesespindles are commonly made with a tapered pintle or stem, which issupported and rotates in a tapering bearing in a bolster, the end of thepintle resting upon a support termed a step. In practice the rapidrotation of the spindle causes the end of its pintle to wear away or towear into the step and to thus fall farther into the bearing in thebolster, the tapered pintle binding in the inclined or tapered bearingin the bolster, increasing the friction and retarding the rotation ofthe spindle. The difficulty above noted has been obviated by adjustingthe step and bolster relatively to each other to bring the bearing orstep higher into the bearing of the bolster, to thus raise the pintle ofthe spindle to accommodate for the wearing away thereof, as abovedescribed. I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed in the art toaccomplish such relative adjustment by a rotation of the bolster, whichby means of a threaded connection between the bolster and step eitherraises the step in the bolster or lowers the bolster upon the step, butin all such devices, in so far as I am at present advised of the art,before any rotation of the bolster can be accomplished to secure such anadjustment the bolster must be first lifted or depressed in thebolster-case to release it from its locking devices.

The object of the present invention is to produce a device in which thebolster is positively restrained from rotation only in the direction ofrotation of the spindle, being free to be rotated in an oppositedirection without a preliminary lifting or depressing of the same in thebolster-case.

To the above end the present invention consists of the devices andcombination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 shows a central vertical section, enlarged, through aspindle-support embodying the same, the lower end of the spindle andother parts being shown in elevation; and Fig. 2 shows a side elevationof portion of the bolster and the pintle-sleeve.

In the drawings, A represents the spindle, having the usual tapered endor pintle a and carrying the usual whirl B.

C represents the bolster, D the bolster-case, and E the spindle-rail,all of which parts, except as hereinafter specified, may be of anyconvenient and usual construction.

The bolster O is preferably surrounded by the usual wicking or packing cand is interiorly tapered to form a bearing, within which thespindle-pintle a is adapted to rotate.

F represents a pintle, the top of the upper portion f of which forms thestep or support upon which the spindle-pintle a rests while rotating.

The pintle F is arranged to be vertically movable to adjust the stepwithin the bolster and it is arranged to be adjusted without removingthe bolster or step from the bolstercase.

To accomplish the above-suggested result, I have devised the form andarrangement of parts shown in the drawings, which illustrate a preferredform of the present invention.

Within the bolster-case D is placed what I term a pintle-sleeve G, whichis secured against rotary movement in said case by a pin d,driventhrough an aperture in the wall of said case and engaging a slot g insaid pintle-sleeve.

The pintle sleeve G has an interiorlythreaded bearing g, which receivesthe threaded end f of the pintle F and in which the pintle F'is adaptedto be turned to impart a vertical movement thereto to adjust the step,as before suggested. The upper portion f of the pintle F is shown aspolygonal in crosssection, but it may be of any desired shape other thanround, and it is adapted to be engaged by an aperture in the lower endof the bolster C to turn the pintle F in the pintlesleeve G to move itvertically to adjust the step, as before suggested.

The bolster C has an aperture in the lower end, of a shape similar tothe shape in crosssection of the upper portion f of the pintle F, butsomewhat larger, in order that the bolster may not be restrained fromthe gyrating movement which is developed by the efforts of the rotatingspindle supported therein to find its true center of rotation under anunbalanced load. The aperture c is of such size relatively to the upperportion f of the pintle F that when the bolster O is rotated it willengage and turn the pintle F and by means of the threaded connection ofpintle F with the pintle-sleeve G impart to said pintle a Verticalmovement, thus raising the step, as before suggested.

For the purpose of turning the bolster O to adjust the step the upperend of the bolster is conveniently provided with the notches 0 which areadapted tobe engaged by a screwdriver or other convenient tool.

In the form of my invent-ion shownin the drawings the bolster O ispositively restrained from rotation in the direction of rotation of thespindle A, but is free to rotate in an opposite direction to secure theadjustment of the step as hereinbefore described, a result which Isecure by a suitably-placed controlling or clutch mechanism,conveniently the following:

Upon the lower end of the bolster O,conveniently adjacent to itsperiphery, are formed a series of downwardly-projecting teeth 0 ofunequal inclination upon opposite sides, conveniently beveled upon oneside and perpendicular upon the other. The teeth 0 are arranged toengage with a series of notches formed upon the top of the pintle-sleeveG, which is restrained from rotation by the pin cl, as hereinbeforestated. The notches g are preferably rectangular in shape, or of acorresponding shape and opposite bevel to the teeth 0 the arrangementbeing such that when the bolster O is rotated in an opposite directionto that in which the spindle rotates the teeth 0 will turn over thenotches 9 but when effort is made to rotate the bolster in the oppositedirection the teeth 0 engage the notches g and restrain the rotation ofthe bolster. As shown in the drawings, the spindle A is arranged torotate in the direction of the arrow-head in Fig. l and the bolster G torotate in an opposite direction, as indicated by the. arrow-head in Fig.2.

In this class of spindles it is essential that the bolster should haveslight lateral play to enable the spindle to center itself under anunbalanced load, a result which I secure as follows: Upon the lower endof the bolster C is formed a preferably circular recess 0, and below thesame, in the top of the pintle-sleeve G, a similar recess y the recessesc and g forming a chamber within which I locate what I have termed arocker-washer H, which supports the bolster O and rests upon thepintle-sleeve G. The rocker-washer H preferably consists of a washerwith rounded or convex faces loosely fitted to the upperportion f of thepintle F. The rocker-washer H supports the bolster O at such distanceabove the pintle-sleeve G that the teeth 0 do not bottom in the notchesg and since, as before stated, the bolster O loosely engages the upperportion of the pintle F the bolster C isby the arrangement describedleft free to gyrate or wabble upon the rocker-washer H.

The operation of my invention has been sufficiently described inconnection with the foregoing description of its form and arrangement ofparts. It will be noted, however, in this connection that in order toraise the step in the bolster the operator is not obliged to remove thebolster from the case or to raise it from its position in the case, butcan accomplish such adjustment by a simple rotation of the bolster bymeans of a screw-driver or other tool, a result which, in so far asI amadvised of the prior art, has never heretofore been accomplished, andwhich greatly facilitates the operation of adjustment.

I claim-- 1. The combination with a spindle and its bolster, of a clutchmechanism arranged to restrain the rotation of the bolster in thedirection of rotation of the spindle and to permit its rotation in anopposite direction,

substantially as described.

2. The combination with abolster-case,b0lster and bolster-support withinthe case, of a threaded bearing in the support, a threaded pintleengaging said bearing and projected into the bolster, and connectionsbetween the bolster and pintle, whereby a rotation of the bolstereffects a longitudinal movement ofthe pintle, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with a bolster and its support, of a pintlelongitudinally movable in the support, and a rocker-washer sur-.rounding the pintle between the bolster and its support, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination with thebolster and its support, of teeth formed uponthe lower end of the bolster and notches formed upon the top of thesupport, said teeth being arranged. to engage with, but not to bottom insaid notches, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the spindle and its bolster, of means forrestraining the rotation of the bolster in the direction of rotation oithe spindle, arranged to permit its rotationin. an opposite direction,and a step vertically adjustable within the bolster by the rotation. ofthe bolster, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the bolster sup- 1 the opposite direction,substantially as deported upon its bottom face, a step-pintle enscribed.10 gaging said bolster, and arranged to be moved In testimony whereof Iallix my signature longitudinally Within the bolster by a rotainpresence of two Witnesses.

tion of the bolster, of inclined teeth upon the JOHN KILBURN. bolsterand engaging devices therefor arlVitnesses:

ranged to permit a rotation of the bolster in A. E. XVHYTE,

one direction and restrain it from rotation in l A. O. ORNE.

